Writing Roots

S32E9 – Misunderstandings Between the Reader and the Story

Misunderstandings happen. Sometimes it’s the reader skimming too fast and missing a detail. Sometimes it’s the author who named two characters too similarly. There’s not much you can do about the first problem, but you can take steps to minimize the opportunity for misunderstandings.
In this episode, Ley and Leigh discuss some of the most common times for a reader to get confused in a story and what you can do to mitigate the problem.
First aired May 30, 2022.
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S23 Bonus – Evoking the Right Emotions in the Reader

Emotions are complicated, difficult things that tie humanity together or break them apart. Emotions are what keep readers invested in stories. Readers will care about the characters and what they experience. Good authors know how to tap into the right emotions to make that happen.
It is too easy to accidentally evoke the wrong emotions. That can happen in a variety of ways, from an unsympathetic main character to poor writing. To tap into the right emotions at the right time – anger when you want the reader to hate a character, sorrow when your character’s heart breaks – is a skill that will take your book from good to great.
In this bonus episode, we break down the four main emotions: anger, happiness, sadness, and fear. Then we dig into how to convey these emotions in a way which your reader will feel them as they devour your books.
First aired May 28, 2022.
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S32E8 – The Debate About Trigger Warnings

Content and trigger warnings are becoming increasingly obvious throughout our daily lives. Warnings in the form of ratings have been around for a while on movies, shows, and video games. They’re becoming increasingly popular to include in fanfiction and online writing forums. We even use them on our podcast when we’re going to be discussing more sensitive issues. However, there’s a strong debate in the writing world about whether or not they should be included in published novels.
There are uses to trigger warnings. After all, they help people avoid encountering situations which may bring back unwanted emotions. It’s important to remember that your readers live vicariously through your works, and each one has a unique and varied history they bring with them. However, there’s a strong debate that fiction – especially in literary form – is a launching point for confronting the difficult aspects of the world and our lives. There’s also the possibility that some warnings may act instead as spoilers.
In the end, it’s up to you. But you’ll want to make an informed decision. We discuss the whys and why nots in this debate episode.
First aired May 26, 2022.
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S32E7 – The Reader and the Fourth Wall

Readers are fully aware that they’re reading a book. However, for just a moment, they pretend they’re inside the story, that they are the characters going on this adventure. Breaking that bubble (also known as suspension of disbelief) can be dangerous because it reminds the reader they are not inside the story, but observing it. At other times, authors charge forward and brazenly shatter the fourth wall and the readers love them for it.
The fourth wall comes from a theater term. On a stage, there are three walls: Downstage, Stage Right, and Stage Left. The fourth one, Upstage, is where the audience sits. There’s no physical barrier there that separates the audience from the performers. Breaking the fourth wall means to engage with the audience. There are different levels to how much you break the fourth wall. You can go as far as Deadpool being aware that he’s in a comic book, to the narrative simply being written to the audience such as in Odd Thomas.
We discuss the uses and problems with the fourth wall in this episode.
First aired May 23, 2022.
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S32E6 – How Tropes and Clichés Play Into Reader Psychology

Readers have come to expect certain things from books, including certain tropes and clichés that help establish pieces of the story within a line or two. We’ve talked before about how you can use cookie-cutter representations of tertiary characters so you don’t spend a lot of time describing someone who never reappears. The same thing can work in small ways with your main characters.
You don’t have to spend a lot of time establishing an archetypal character. If you say barmaid and you’ve already established you’re in a medieval tavern setting, most readers will picture the same kind of person. A single line that says a character can crush a skull with one hand gives readers a mental image of a burly warrior type. However, if you are going to use this on your main and secondary characters, it’s best if you also include a twist. We discuss how to do that in this episode.
First aired May 19, 2022.
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S32E5 – The Psychology of Names and Sounds

Meme culture has given us plenty of names with strong stereotype associations. Karen, Chad, and Kyle, for example. As an author, it’s good to keep in mind that there’s a reason these names grew into memes. It’s because people naturally associate certain ideas and emotions with different names, and even individual sounds.
When you are choosing what to name characters, you’ll want to consider the associations a reader may make. If you’re using real names, it becomes a question of the impressions associated with them. If you’re making up names, you need to consider the implications of the sounds – whether you’re using more consonants or vowels. We discuss the common associations in this episode to help you find the best way to name your own characters.
First aired May 16, 2022.
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S32E4 – Because I Said So: When Readers Accept Fudged Facts

There are some things that reader will simply accept as fact because they are reading fiction. We’re not talking about magic or futuristic science. In this episode, we’re discussing actual things that readers will suspend their disbelief even if they know what you wrote is wrong.
You’ve probably read a book or watched a show where someone gets knocked unconscious. They always wake up after they’ve conveniently been stowed or stolen. In reality, if someone is knocked out for longer than about six seconds, they’re going to suffer severe brain trauma. They definitely won’t be in any shape to escape or fight their way out. The thing is, though, that no one really cares when they consume fiction. Readers know and accept that it will be that way because the author said so.
First aired May 12, 2022.
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S32E3 – Impact of Opinions on the Reader

It is impossible to keep opinion out of your writing. It is impossible to keep current events from swaying the flow of a story. Both of these things can be both a benefit and a hindrance to your storytelling in the minds of readers.
When deciding how far you want to go in presenting opinions, you need first to consider your audience. Those reading non-fiction about debated topics will gladly welcome in-depth discussions. Those seeking escapism in fantasy realms may be less inclined to dive into deep end. It also depends on you as the author. What kind of brand are you wanting to establish for yourself?
There are things, even if you are solidly in the fictional realms, that can help you tell a compelling story influenced by the discussions of the modern world. We discuss them in this episode below.
First aired May 9, 2022.
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S32E2 – Reading to Escape

Why do you read?
That simple question determines so much about how authors approach their books. Whether they’re writing a cook book or an epic fantasy, the author needs to know why someone may be interested in the book.
With fiction, the most common reason people read is to escape. They want to spend some time away from their own battles and spend a little time fantasizing, whether it’s about magic or a passionate relationship. Each genre has its own demands and expectations that go along with how a reader escapes into the world and plot. Hosts Ley and Leigh discuss in this episode why they read, and how you can fulfill your own reader’s escapist desires.
First aired May 5, 2022.
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S32E1 – The Mechanics of Reading

Part of becoming a successful author is knowing your target audience. You need to know what they like, the kinds of stories that will interest them, and the types of characters they will align with. Even more important is to know the psychology behind reading. It’s more than simply enjoying a book and reading for fun. There are things that people subconsciously seek while they read. Throughout all of May, we will be exploring the psychology of the reader.
We begin by looking at the mechanics of reading. How people read changes depending on where they are in their journey of learning. Children and those learning a new language start by looking at individual letters. Eventually we begin to recognize groupings, until we grow into being able to recognize a word at a simple glance. Some even stop seeing words, but are picturing instead what the words are suggesting. This contributes to there being words invisible to the reader, but which are helpful in writing. Listen to this episode as we talk about the mechanics of reading and how it can help you as a writer.
First aired May 2, 2022.
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